Metering system for party telephone lines



Aug. 12 '1 924. 1,504,232

c. L. GOODRUM ET-AL me'rsnme SYSTEM FOR mu! TELEPHONE mmas Filed July 6, 192] Patented Aug. 12, 1924.

UNITED. STATES isaazsa PATENT oFncE.

CHARLES L. GoonRUM AND EDWARD E. I-IINRIGI-ISEN, or new YORK, N. Y., ASIGIGNORS TO wnsrnrm ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, or NEW roux, N. 55., Anon roaa'rroiv or s NEW YORK.

METERING SYSTEM Fort PARTY TELEPHONE LINES.

Application filed July 6,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it. known thatwe, CHARLES 1L. Goon tems 'wherein .a number of stations are branched off from a common circuit.

7 Its object is to provide means for auto* matically and positively determining which one of the branch stations is connectedto the i common circuit.

It is particularly adapted for and is shown embodied in aparty line arrangement for machine switching telephone systems,

and provides means whereby upon the initiation of a call the proper meter at the central office is positively connected with the metering circuit. I i

In accordance with this invention as applied to party line metering, the stations are equipped with relays adapted to be operated by currents of difi'erent character successively applied; from the central office upon the initiation of a call by a switch which is set inmotion upon the initiation of the call and at each step applies to the line a current ofdifl'erent character, and also at each step connects a different meter to the metering circuit, this switch continuing in motion 7 until the proper current is applied to operate the relay of the calling station, the operation of this relay causing the switch to stop, with the correspondingmeter connected to the metering circuit, This metering cir cuit may be subsequently closed in any suitable manner. In the present instance, it is closed automatically during the breaking down of the connection.

Referring to the drawings, Fig, 1 shows the invention embodied in a machine switching telephone exchange system; Fig. 2 shows the d: tails of a polarized relay, one of which is provided foreach station.

"Only'so much of the circuit is showii as is necessary for a comprehension-of the in vention. The polarized relay 5 of substation 1921. SerialNo. 482,713J

1 is positively polarized. The polarized relay6 of substation 2 is also positively polarized and in addition is marginal. The polarized relay 7 of substation 3 is negatively polarized. The polarized relay-8 at station 1 the switchhook inrising closes the contact 9 thus connecting the positively polarized relay 5 to ground from the tip side 10 of the line, and the closure of contact 11 completes a loop circuit forthe line relay 12 at the central ofiice. Relay12 in attracting its right armature closes a looking circuit for itself to ground at the right armature and back contact of the cutoff relay 13, and also closes at its outer left armature a circuit for the stepping magnet 14 of the meter selector which is provided with brushes 15, 1'6' and 45. Brush 16 does notbridge the normal and first cont acts, but bridges on allother steps. The attraction of the outer left armature of the line relay 12 also prepares a circuit for the start relay 17 to start an idle line finder LF in search of the calling line as described in detail in Patent No. 1,198,053, issued August 1, 1916, to L. Polinkowsky. Magnet 14 advances the meter selector one step from its normalposition to position 1, whereupon the prepared circuit for the start relay 17 is closed. In position 10f the meter selector switch, re-' lay 18 operates in a circuit including brush 16, the. ti f through th in attracting its outer right armature operates relay 19 in a circuit including contact 20 of cam 21 of the meter selector and" the upper two windings of the relay 19 in series.

Relay 19 in attractingitslowermost arma-.

ture closes a locking circuit for relay 18 including the in ner right armature of said relay, and atits upperfarmature closes a substitute circuit for magnet 14 including the outer right armature of relay 18, whereupon magnet 14 steps the switch to posi tion 2. In moving out of-normal position, cam 22 opens contact 23. Thus magnet 14 is dependent for its next energization upon side of the line 10, contact 9,. e relay 5 to ground.- Relay 18 the circuit leading through the contacts of relays 19 and 18. In moving out of position 1 cam 21 of the meter selector opens contact and in position 2 positive current is applied through the upper two windings of relay 19 in series and brush 16 to the tip side 10 of the line, from which relay 5 is branched off to ground. This relay responds to this current and in attracting its armature opens contact 2 1. The mechanical construction of the relay 5 is such that this contact is held open for a period long enough to allow relay 19 to release, which 1 releases relay 19. The release of relay '18 opens the circuit of the stepping magnet 14 to stop the selector with the brush 15 connecting meter 25 of substation 1 to the metering conductor 26, and although relay 19 again energizes, relay 18 remains inert. The mechanical construction of relay 5 may be as shown in- Fig. 2. The armature 40 is provided with an arm 27, which when the armature is attracted moves a lever 28 to the right to allow the spring 29 to rotate a lever 30 in a counter clockwise direction to open the contact 24, thus disconnecting the magnet- 5' from ground whereupon it re-. leases, the spring 31 in retracting the armature 40 causing the arm 16 to rotate the lever 30 in a clockwise direction, and the spring 32 forcing the lever 28 back to its original position. The line finder LF upon reaching the calling line multiples, closes a circuit including sequence switch contact 32, inner left armature and normal contact of relay 18, for the cut-ofl? relay 13, which in attracting its right armature opens the locking circuit of relay 12, and in attracting its left armatures cuts ofl the meter selector from the calling line and extends the line through 7 connection in any suitable manner, as shown for example in Patent No. 1,135,011, to C. L. Goodrum, patented April 13, 1915. The cutoif relay may be used for this purpose and would correspond to the magnet-M of Fig. 9 of said patent. This relay upon deenergizing withdraws the holding pawl as shown and described in detail in said patent.

If station No. 2 initiates a call, positively polarized marginal relay 6 is connected to ground from the tip side 10 of the line and the meter selector switch is started in operation as described in the case of station 1. The meter selector switch will continue stepping until itreaches position 3 because the relay 6 being marginal, does not receive sufficient current in position 2'over both 01": the windings of relay 19 in series. In position 3, however, only the lower winding is connected to the brush 16 and consequently relay 6 operates disconnecting ground from the tip side 10 of the line resulting in the release of the relays 19 and 18 and the stopping of the meter selector with meter 35 connected to the meter conductor 26 by the brush 15.

V In case station No. 3 initiates a call the negatively polarized relay 7 is connected to the tip side 10 of the line and the meter selector will. continue stepping iuitil it reaches position 4, at which time negative current is applied through the lower windings in series over brush 16 to the tip side of the line to ground through the relay 7 which in operating removes ground from the tip side of the line, resulting in the release of the relays 18 and 19 and the stop ping of the .meter selector with the brush 15 connecting the meter 36 to the metering conductor.26.- L

If the station No. a initiates a call the negatively polarized marginal relay 8 is connected to ground from the tip side 10 of the line, and in this case the meter selector will continue stepping until it reaches position 5, because relay 8 being marginal as well aspolarized will not operate over both lower windings in series, but will only operate in position 5 in which position negative current through the lowest winding only is connected through brush 16 to the tip side 10 of the line. Relay 8 in operating removes ground thus releasing relays 19' and 18, resulting in the stopping of the selector with the meter 37 connected to the meter conductor 26. over the brush 15.

If a call is initiated by the closure of the loopcircuit at the calling station but no ground is present, the meter selector will move into position 1 and will stop since relay 18 will/not operate due to the tip side 10 of the line being ungrounded. A signal lamp 38 is connected to this contact and will indicate to an attendant the'abnormal condition. If there is a permanent ground on the line the meter selector will continue steppinguntil it reaches position 6. In this position a lamp 39 is lighted which indicates this abnormal condition.

By virtue of the present invention it willbe seen that the meter corresponding to the calling station is automatically positively connected to the metering circuit upon the initiation of a call; that the possibility of operating the wrong register or the subscriber beating the apparatus is very remote and that abnormal conditions in the circuit are automatically indicated.

What is claimed is: a

1. In a party line metering circuit arrangement, a meter for each station at the central ofiice, sources of current of different character atthe central oflic'e, a metering circuit, means for automatically counecting, the proper meter to the metering circuit upon the initiation of a call comprising a number of relays one at each station adapted to be selectively operated by currents of different character from said sources, a switch set in motion by the initiation of a calls-and at each step applying to said line a current of different character, and at each step also connecting a different meter to the metering circuit, said switch continuing in motion until the proper current is applied to operate the relay at the calling station, means controlled by said relay in operating to stop said switch with the corresponding meter connected to the metering clrcult, and means for thereafter closing said metering circuit;

2. In a party line metering circuit arrangement, meters at the central ofice, a metering circuit, sources of current of opposite polarity at the central ofiice, a polarized relay at each station, a resistance at the central ofllce connected to said sources of current, a switch set in motion upon the initiation of a call and applying current from said sources through different points of said resistance to said line until the properpolarity and strength of current is appliedto operate the polarized relay at the calling station, means controlled by said relay for stopping said switch with the proper meter connected to the metering circuit, and means for thereafter closing said metering circuit.

3, In a party line metering system, meters at the central ofiice, a metering circuit, a step-by-step switch at the central ofiice adapted to connect said meters to the meter ing circuit, means for grounding the line, and for starting said switch in motion upon the initiation of a call, a relay at the calling station for removing said ground when the switch reaches the meter of the calling station to stop said switch with said meter connected to said metering circuit, and means for thereafter closing said metering circuit.

4, Li a party linemetering system, meters at the central olfice, a metering circuit, a switch at the central ofliceadapted to con nect said meters in the metering circuit, means for starting said switch in motion upon the initiation of the call, means for grounding the line upon the initiation of a call, a relay at the calling station for removing said ground when the switch reaches the meter of the calling station to stop said switch with said meter connected to said metering circuit, and means for thereafter closing said metering circuit.

5. In a party line metering system, meters at the central oflice, a metering circuit, a step-by-step switch at the central ofiice adapted to connect said meters to the metering circuit, meansfor starting said switch in motion upon the lnltlation of a call, a

polarized relay at each station, means for grounding the line through the relay ofthe calling station upon the initiation of a call at said station, sources of positive and negative current at the central office, means at the central oflice comprising a relay having a number of windings through which current from said sources is applied to the calling line by said switch untilthe proper polarity and strength of current is applied to operate the polarized relay of the calling station to Iremove said ground, means controlled by the removal of the ground for stopping said switch with the proper meter connected to the metering ircuit, and means for subsequently closing' said metering cir;

cuit.

6. In a party line metering system, meters at the central office, a metering circuit, a step-by-step switch at the central office adapted to connect said meters in the metering circuit, means for starting said switch upon the initiation of a call, sources of current of opposite polarity at the central office, means for stopping said switch with the proper meter connected to the metering circuit comprising a polarized relay for each station on the line and a relay at the cenof positive current at the centraloflice, a

relay having a pair of windings, a positively polarized relay at one of the stations, a positively polarized marginal relay at another of the stations, means for connecting the relay of the calling station to ground from one side of the line and for starting said switch upon the initiation of a call, said switch on its first step applying current to said line, first through both windings of said relay in series and on its second step through one winding only to selectively operate said polarized relays, means for maintaining said switch in motion as long as said ground is applied, said current operating the polarized relay of the calling staing said metering circuit,

8. The combination with a telephone-line,

two pairs of stations thereon, a meter at the central office for eachstation, a metering circuit, a step'by-step. meter selector switch having one brush for connecting said meters with said metering circuit, a source of positive and a source of negative current at the central office, a relay at the central office having two pairs of windings, a positively polarized relay at one of-the stations, a positively polarized marginal relay at another station, a negatively polarized relay at the third station and'a negatively polarized marginal relay at the other station, means for connecting the polarized relay of the calling station to ground and for starting said switch, said switch on its first step applying positive current to said line through two windings in series, on its second step through one winding only, on its third step applying negative current through two windings'in series and on' its fourth'step through one winding only to selectively operate said relays, means for maintaining said switch in motion until the V circuit, and means for subsequently clos- 7 relay of the calling line operates and removes the'grou'nd, whereby the proper meter is connected to the metering circuit by said switch, and means for subsequently closing said metering circuit.

9. In a telephonesystem,a common circuit, a number of branch circuits, sources of current of different character, electroresponsive devices, a circuit 'for operating the same, means for connecting the proper device to the said common circuit compris ing a relay ateach of the branch circuits adapted to be selectively operated by currents from said sources, and a switch set in motion by the closure of the common circuit at any branch circuit and at each step applyingto said common circuit current of different character and at each step connecting a different device to said operating circuit until the proper current is applied to operate the relay of the calling'ibranch circuit, means controlled by said relay in operating tostop said switch with the, corresponding device connected to the operating circuit, and means for'op eratingsaid device.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe ournames this 30th day of June, A. D. 1921.

CHARLES L. eoonaun,

EDWARD E. HINRIGHSEN. 

